Semifinal II

SMANDEM

The members of SMANDEM met because they share the same taste in music, which is probably also what sets them apart from other bands in Amsterdam. Their common musical background is more in present-day popular music, and so they like to combine this electronic sound with jazz. On stage, they really try to live up to their band name, which is very much about unity.

Francisco Nogueira Quintet

This quintet was formed in June 2018; their first and only goal was to play in the third-year recital. But the band, with band members coming from a lot of different musical genres who developed a strong friendship, resulted in something more: a chance to mix original pieces with so many completely different influences that the music would be hard to describe and put in only one box. The group borrows colours from modern jazz, hip-hop, indie-rock and other genres.

Nikos Thessalonikefs Project

The Nikos Thessalonikefs Project was created by Nikos and includes some of his favorite musicians from the Amsterdam scene. This project is Nikos's effort to express, through music, the way he experiences life in a multicultural city of north Europe. The music is a mix of modern sounds with the influence of folk tradition. At the same time the compositions allow the band members to deviate from them, embracing their musical interaction and free interpretation of the form itself in order to enrich the music with their own personalities.

Liquid Identities

Liquid Identities was born at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam in 2018 with the goal to explore fresh original compositions which reflect a research into the combination of different styles between contemporary jazz, Carnatic music, avant-garde jazz, free impro and chamber music. The adjective 'liquid' also refers to the vision of modernity analyzed by the sociologist Zygmunt Bauman in his book Liquid Modernity.

Adrien Losco Quartet

The four musicians met during their studies at the CvA. They propose original compositions by Adrien Losco, influenced by concepts from Lennie Tristano and the 20th-century French impressionist composers. Improvisation is the most important element in their music, being shaped on the spot through communication and interaction, constantly seeking for the unexpected.